Film title: Ashita
Country: Japan
Date of Release: 13 August 1988
Also known as: Tomorrow (International), Der Tag Davor (East Germany)
Director: Kazuo Kuroki [Related Post: (1), (2)]
Screenplay: Masako Inoue, Kazuo Kuroki, Juuichirô Takeuchi
Story: Mitsuharu Inoue
Cast:
Kaori Momoi (1) as Tsuruko / Pregnant sister
Kaho Minami (1) as Yae/ Bride
Nobuku Sendo (1) as Akiko/ Youngest sister
Shiro Sano (1) as Shoji/ Bridegroom
Arthur Kuroda (1) as Tsuguo/ Shoji's friend
Nomination and Awards
Awards of the Japanese Academy:
Nominated: Best Art Direction - Akira Naitou
Best Cinematography - Tatsuo Suzuki
Best Lighting - Kenichi Mizuno
Best Music Score - Teizou Matsumura
Best Supporting Actor - Kunie Tanaka
Blue Ribbon Awards:
Won: Best Actress - Kaori Momoi
Hochi Film Awards:
Won: Best Film
Kinema Junpo Awards:
Won: Best Actress - Kaori Momoi
Best Director - Kazuo Kuroki
Mainichi Film Concours:
Won: Best Art Direction - Akira Naitou
Nikkan Sports Film Awards:
Won: Best Director - Kazuo Kuroki
Showing posts with label Biographies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Biographies. Show all posts
13 November 2010
12 November 2010
Cast Profile - Arthur Kuroda
Arthur Kuroda was born in 1 February 1961 in San Francisco, United States of American. Because of his birthplace, he holds an American nationality. He was later graduated from the School of Management in Meiji University.
At the age of 21, Arthur made his debut in TV drama, acting in ‘Meiken Goroo no Bouken Viva! Canada”. Starting from 1982, Arthur began to perform in various TV dramas. Many female audiences were attracted by him because of his sweet face and Western aura. In 1986, Arthur released his first single, Angel Baby. Apart from ‘Ashita’, Arthur acted in other movies as well, for example:
- Hachiko Monogatari (Shyoutiku, 1987)
- Rakuyou ( Rou Tomono, 1992)
- Koara Kachou (Kawasaki Minoru, 2005)
Source :
11 November 2010
Additional Information of the Director and the Film
The Director of the film "Tomorrow - Ashita", Kazuo Kuroki, was born in 1930.
When he was 5 or 6 (before primary school), he moved to Manchuria with his family and spent his childhood there. He came back to Japan to go to junior high school in Miyazaki Prefecture, where his grandparents lived.
After he got back in Japan he started to work in the factory. The factory was bombed during he was working. He survived from aerial bombing but 10 of his friends died. He saw his friend's head cracked open and his friend losing legs, all happening in front of him. This became his trauma. Together with stress caused by his difficulties with Miyazaki's dialect, he had neurosis. The World War II ended when he was 14 by neuclear bombing. (It may be interpreted differently. At least in Japan, the end of war is the neuclear bombing.)
In one of his interview, he said his experience of living in colony and experience of surviving from bomb had always been in his mind. Time after time he remembered his friends died in aerial bombing.
In Japan, the film "Tomorrow - Ashita" is known as Kuroki's Trilogy of Requiem, together with "Utsukushii Natsu Kirisima" (2002) and "Chichi to Kuraseba" (2004). (English titles are "A Boy's summer in 1945" and "The Face of Jizo".)
These three movies are about people's life before/ after neuclear bombing. The experience in his childhood may have caused him to consider tragedy of war happening not in the battlefield but in people's daily life. In the film "Tomorrow - Ashita", he drew attention to people's daily life and suddenly tragedy took over. In other two films of Kuroki's Trilogy of Requiem, the main characters suffer from feeling of guilt after surviving from A-Bomb (Guilty feeling that s/he survived while others died).
Thus, his experience in childhood certainly had influenced his film making.
When he was 5 or 6 (before primary school), he moved to Manchuria with his family and spent his childhood there. He came back to Japan to go to junior high school in Miyazaki Prefecture, where his grandparents lived.
After he got back in Japan he started to work in the factory. The factory was bombed during he was working. He survived from aerial bombing but 10 of his friends died. He saw his friend's head cracked open and his friend losing legs, all happening in front of him. This became his trauma. Together with stress caused by his difficulties with Miyazaki's dialect, he had neurosis. The World War II ended when he was 14 by neuclear bombing. (It may be interpreted differently. At least in Japan, the end of war is the neuclear bombing.)
In one of his interview, he said his experience of living in colony and experience of surviving from bomb had always been in his mind. Time after time he remembered his friends died in aerial bombing.
In Japan, the film "Tomorrow - Ashita" is known as Kuroki's Trilogy of Requiem, together with "Utsukushii Natsu Kirisima" (2002) and "Chichi to Kuraseba" (2004). (English titles are "A Boy's summer in 1945" and "The Face of Jizo".)
These three movies are about people's life before/ after neuclear bombing. The experience in his childhood may have caused him to consider tragedy of war happening not in the battlefield but in people's daily life. In the film "Tomorrow - Ashita", he drew attention to people's daily life and suddenly tragedy took over. In other two films of Kuroki's Trilogy of Requiem, the main characters suffer from feeling of guilt after surviving from A-Bomb (Guilty feeling that s/he survived while others died).
Thus, his experience in childhood certainly had influenced his film making.
Interview: Japanese Documentary Author Interview No.16, Kazuo Kuroki. Yamagata International Film Festival. For English translation, click here .
Cast Profile - Shirou Sano
Shirou Sano as Nagakawa Shoji in 'Ashita'. He is the husband of Yae.Shirou Sano was born in 4 March 1955 in Yamanashi, Japan. He graduated from the Shimane University Faculty of Education Middle School and the Shimane Prefecture Matsue Minami High School. He later learnt oil painting in Nakamura Kou’s Oil Painting Workshop.
In 1975, Shirou participated in ‘Shakespeare Theatre’ as one of the founding members. In 1986, he made his debut in film by acting in Hayashi Kaizou’s movie – Yumemiruyou ni Nemuritai. He is now an actor, film director as well as a musician.
The following are some of Shirou’s major works in movies and TV Drama: Movies:
- Mainichi ga Natsuyasumi (1994)
- Godzilla 2000 Millennium (1999)
TV Drama:
- Zutto Anata ga Sukidatta (1992)
- Dare nimo Ienai (1993)
Source:
10 November 2010
Cast Profile - Nobuko Sendo
Nobuko Sendo is the youngest sister in 'Ashita'. On 8 August 2010, her boyfriend, Hideo, received the government's letter to join the army.
Nobuko had performed in a number of movies and TV dramas. One of the most representative movies is ‘Kiryuin Hanako no Shogai’ (1982). For TV Drama, it is the ‘Christmas Eve’ (1990). Nobuko also won the New Actor Award in 1984 in the Japan Academy Prize, for her performances in ‘Sasame Yuki’ and ‘Hakujasho’.
Nobuko Sendo was born in Nagoya, Japan in 28 September 1969. She graduated from the Tokyo Metropolitan Yoyogi High School. In 2000, Nobuko left the showbiz temperately after she married Ogata Naoto. She made her return in 2003, performing in ‘Ruten no Ouhi．Saigo no Koutei’.
Nobuko had performed in a number of movies and TV dramas. One of the most representative movies is ‘Kiryuin Hanako no Shogai’ (1982). For TV Drama, it is the ‘Christmas Eve’ (1990). Nobuko also won the New Actor Award in 1984 in the Japan Academy Prize, for her performances in ‘Sasame Yuki’ and ‘Hakujasho’.
Source : Nobuko Sendo's Artist Profile
Cast Profile - Kaho Minami
Kaho Minami is the bride Yae in 'Ashita'.
Kaho Minami was born in 20 January 1964 in Amagasaki, Japan. She was graduated from the Toho Gakuen College of Drama and Music. While she was still studying in college, Kaho attended an audition in 1984 for a role in ‘Kayako no Tameni’. She was chosen among 2000 competitors and made her debut. Kaho not only active in the film industry, she also performed in various television series and stage drama.
 |
| Kaho and Ken Watanbe |
Kaho has two marriages. She first married to Hitonari Tsuji, a Japanese musician, film-maker and novelist, in 1995 and had son. However, the couple divorced in 2000. In 2003, Kaho acted in a 2-hour-drama ‘Itan no Natsu’, together with the well-known Japanese actor Ken Watanabe. They got married in December 2005.
Awards that Kaho has won:
- 19th Takasaki Film Festival – Best Supporting Actress
- Blue Ribbon Awards 1990 – Best Supporting Actress
Source : Kaho and Ken Watanabe' Image
About the assistant director
Takashi Miike (三池 崇史, Miike Takashi) (born August 24, 1960) is a highly prolific and controversial Japanese filmmaker. He has directed over seventy theatrical, video, and television productions since his debut in 1991. In the years 2001 and 2002 alone, Miike is credited with directing fifteen productions. His films range from violent and bizarre to dramatic and family-friendly.
Filmography:
Bodigaado Kiba (1993)
Gokudô sengokushi: Fudô (1996)
Ôdishon (1999)
Family (2001)
Shin jingi no hakaba (2002)
Zebraman (2004)
Waru (2006)
Tantei monogatari (2007)
Crows Zero II (2009)
13-Nin no Shikaku (2010)
Takeru (2011)
Cast Profile - Kaori Momoi
Kaori Momoi was born in 8 April 1952 in Tokyo, Japan. When she was 12, she studied ballet in the Royal Ballet Academy in London for 3 years. After that, she returned to Tokyo to pursuit her study at Japan’s Bungakuza School of Dramatic Arts. Kaori made her debut in 1971, starring in Kon Ichikawa’s Ai Futatabi [To Love Again].
Throughout her actress life, Kaori has worked with some of the most notable films directors in Japan, including Akira Kurosawa, Tatsumi Kumashiro, Yoji Yamada, Jun Ichikawa and Takashi Miike.
Kaori has won many awards for her film performances:
- Japanese Academy Award 1979 – Best Actress
- Blue Ribbon Award 1979, 1988, 1997 – Best Actress
- 7th Hochi Film Award – Best Actress
- New York International Film Festival 1983 – Best Actress
- Vladivostok International Film Festival 2007 – Best Director and Best Actress
Source:
Kaori Momoi - Wikipedia (Japaese)
Kaori Momoi - Wikipedia (English)
Kaori Momoi's Image: (1) (2)
About the Director - Kazuo Kuroki
Kazuo Kuroki was born in 10 November 1930 in Matsusaka, Japan. He was died in 12 April 2006, aged 75.
Kazuo’s high school honored teacher recommended him to entered Doshisha University to study political science. He joined the Iwanami Film Production Company as an assistant director in 1945 after his graduation. In 1958, Kazuo directed his first film – Toshiba no Denki Sharyou. He became an independent director in 1962.
Ashita(1988), Utsukushii Natsu Kirishima(2002) and Chichi to Kuraseba(2004) was called the “War Requiem Trilogy”.
Other films directed by Kazuo Kuroki:
- Tobenai Chinmoku [Silence Has No Wings] (1966)
- Ryoma Ansatsu [The Assassination of Ryoma] (1974)
- Matsuri no Junbi [Preparaion for the Festival] (1975)
- Roonin gai (1990)
- Kamiya Etsuko no seishun [The Youth of Kamiya Etsuko] (2006)
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